Keeping your industrial filter in tip-top condition is important if you don't want to completely shut down your business just to get a few repairs done. If you attach a sub-par filter cartridge to a filter that's otherwise doing alright, there's a chance that leaks or loose parts from the cartridge will either create a huge mess or seriously damage the machine's internal pipes. To make sure that an old industrial water filtration cartridge that's been lying around for a long time can still function properly on your machine, use these three tips.

See Whether The Filter Cartridge's Cap Slides Off Or Pops Off

The filter cartridge's cap is an important indicator of how well all the cartridge's internal parts have held up. If it slides off the unit at the slightest touch instead of only popping off when you pull on it hard, there's a good chance that other parts of the cartridge have weakened just as much.

Additionally, the tip of the cartridge that the cap was covering needs to be fairly strong in order to stay steady while a lot of water flows through it. If you decide to test out the filter cartridge despite the warning from the cap, keep a towel nearby so that you can quickly cover and contain a jet of sputtering water in the event of the cartridge falling off.

Make Sure The Filter's Interior Water Maintains A Relatively High PSI Level When You Put The Cartridge In

Even if no cracks or leaks are visible on the exterior of the cartridge, broken compartments deep within its interior could still slow down the water stream flowing through it. Therefore, before you completely leave an old cartridge that's attached to your industrial filter alone, always use a manometer to check the PSI level of the water in the interior of the filter.

If the PSI level is noticeably lower than it was when you had a newer filter cartridge in the machine, you'll know for sure that the older cartridge is defective.

Shake The Cartridge And See If You Can Hear Any Rattling Inside

While some residential filter cartridges use rocks to get the gunk out of water, most industrial cartridges don't because they need to purify water to a much more rigorous standard. Therefore, when you shake a healthy filter cartridge, you shouldn't be able to hear anything rattling inside. If you do, don't connect the cartridge to your industrial filter unless you want the loose debris to travel into and clog the filter's interior pipes.

For more help, contact a company like PFC Equipment, Inc.